this week I’ve had

I’ve had an oddly intense week. So odd that I’ve just got to write it all down. The combined impact of everything has me feeling rather quiet and introspective, which seems an appropriate way to move into Good Friday.

Last week one of my wisdom teeth made an entrance, causing me enough discomfort that I visited the dentist on Friday to have it pulled. I am not a fan of that sort of thing (who is?) and while I had expected it to be no big deal like the last time this happened, it actually was sort of awful this time around. But, a bit of Tylenol here and there I was fine. I am fine.

But then, Monday night, I had a bit of a scare. It wasn’t related to my tooth though. I bumped my knee on our kitchen table and managed to hit whatever you call the “funny bone” part of my knee. Jonny was sitting across from me at the table when it happened. I remember him chuckling at me after I remarked, “I think I’m going to pass out.” Because who bumps their knee and passes out? Evidently I do. I passed out and then had what appeared to Jonny to be a seizure. Thankfully, he saved Silas from being dropped, and me from injury. This sounds alarming doesn’t it? Jonny and I were a bit alarmed. Well, I was more disoriented than alarmed. A quick phone call to my favorite doctor, and I was reassured that I needn’t worry.

An old college friend messaged me on Facebook out of the blue yesterday. I haven’t spoken to her in ten years or so, not since we moved to Virginia. We had what I would describe as an intense friendship. I think she would agree. We ended up chatting on the phone for a little while yesterday but only about details surrounding a possible move for her family to my neck of the woods. I was happy to hear her voice. I wonder if I’ll hear it again. The way God moves people in and out of my life…you just never know what’s going to happen.

Today on the way to the library with all my kids, my boys were gleefully recounting as many of my traffic violations and fender benders as they could recall. Seconds later, I rear ended someone. I won’t go into the somewhat humiliating details. No one was hurt (I was moving at like 5 mph. Good grief. Learn to stop and go Ginny. It’s not that tricky.)

Later, once we arrived home, I called my good friend Lori.

She asked, “Are you calling to talk about your crazy seizure?”

“No, I just rear ended someone today. I wanted to talk about that.”

“Oh, yeah, I did the same thing recently.”

I felt better after talking to her. I always do.

Jonny struggles with my little run ins with bumpers and fences and other things that jump out in front of me when I’m driving. It might be because sometimes these incidents cost money. Today’s didn’t. Phew.

I told Lori that I just ought to stay home. Right now one of my favorite activities is to walk around my yard looking for my honeybees. This seems a nice safe choice. Were I a lady of leisure, I could wander around all day with a small knitting project in my hands and a camera around my neck. Obviously, I’m not. Five minutes here and five minutes there though, it does me good.

(this is not one of our girls)

I’m not sure where the girls are hanging out, but they are arriving back at their hives with nice fat pollen baskets. I tried to get some photos today. We’ve named our hives Lark Rise and Candleford. The Lark Rise bees are quiet and nice. The Candleford bees are ornery!

p.s. Sort of off topic, but this stack of books is kind of amusing. The top one is unrelated, a book of poetry by Blessed John Paul II that I picked up at the library today. It’s the copy of Beyond the Birds and the Bees
mixed in with all the beekeeping books that is funny. Jonny’s been reading it in the evenings, and thinks it blends in nicely with the other bee books.

p.p.s. I’m supposed to be working on Easter dresses for the girls during my “free time.” Instead, I’ve been cleaning out cabinets and drawers. Seems this is a necessary task every few months.

Here’s a “before” shot. I realize the pots and pans are pretty much unchanged in the after.

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Comments

I guess I haven’t been by in awhile, Ginny, I am sorry. Life, so much of it, has consumed me. Bees! So exciting! And all your scary and frustrating bumps. I hope this week is gentler on you. Warmly, Nicola

At least you were home and Johnny was there with you when you passed out. I did once while travelling alone in England. I was standing in line in a bus station in London and fainted, apparently if you are cold when you hit the floor it can look like you are having a siezure, and thats what someone thought had happened. next thing I knew I was in the first aid room, waiting for an ambulance to a hospital I had never heard of, to have all kinds of tests for all kinds of stuff, When they finally discharged me 6 hours later (because they couldn’t find anything wrong) I was more tired, hungry and confused than before, had no idea where I was and got on a bus going in the wrong direction from where I wanted to go. Not the best day of my life thats for sure. Funny to look back on now, but I still haven’t ever told my mother about it, 15 years later 🙂
Hope Easter Sunday is the beginning of a more peaceful season for you.

Happy Easter, and here’s to a calmer, quieter week next week, with plenty of time for knitting, photography, and bees! I wanted to thank you for the recommendation of The Small Scale Poultry Flock. I found it at our local library and have thoroughly enjoyed it — so much so that my husband is planning a coop and we’re picking out chicken breeds. We had thought we would wait and get chickens in a year or two when we’ve moved to a bigger place, but are now leaning toward going ahead and getting some in our current place since if/when we do move, it’ll be a local move. Anyway, thank you for the book recommendation and the inspiration! And have a lovely Easter weekend with your family.

What a doozy of a week! Hope next week is a bit more serene for you. I have to thank you for a few recent introductions; I’ve got both Merry Hall and Lark Rise and Candleford on hold at the library (with all the positive comments I’m looking forward to both). Also, and maybe this is weird to post here, you and your family were in my dream last night and when I woke up I was disappointed that I hadn’t actually met you. Thanks for sharing bits of yourself with all of us. I really enjoy your blog! Happy Easter!

It’s been an unusually trying week for me, too, like a last push for penance before the Alleluias of Easter. This morning I felt like all my strength had leaked out of me, and whenever my kids asked me something, my response was, “Yeah, whatever…just keep the peace, will you?”

I am 48 and still have my lovely, impacted wisdom teeth. I live in terror of having them act up one day. And if they don’t, I may be the only person since time immemorial to die with them still in my mouth!

When I read about your passing out after bumping your knee, I had a bit more of a response than one should for someone one has never actually met. I wanted to pick up the phone and call! Then I followed the link there and thought, well, I guess it would be silly to call if it’s nothing…

Your bees are exquisite, Ginny. I am smitten.

We are watching The Passion of the Christ this evening, sort of a Good Friday tradition here. I hope you have a wonderful Easter, filled with all the joy of the resurrection!

Goodness, friend. We’ve had our share of seizures around here (hopefully all we will ever have, fingers crossed) and that’s scary stuff. May it be your one and only. Blessings to you and your family this Easter weekend. Wishing you a lovely (uneventful) holiday!

I too have had one of the weeks, but really it has been a tough Lent for me. I am looking forward to Easter and decided I should reflect on that as you did today – Thank you for inspiring me to do so! -Erin

our eldest was having similar vaso responses a few years ago. and larkrise and candleford are wonderful names for the hives! i am always trying to get my husband to read that book (citing the political issues, because he thinks it is only about knitting and cooking). love reading your posts!

It sounds like you had a very intense week. For me, those things add up and it makes me feeling very overwhelmed. I actually felt that way too this week. It should have been spring break for us. We had two dentist appointments. My daughter had two teeth pulled yesterday. No fender benders though. I find a lot of peace by being outside and just noticing the beauty in nature. I hope you have a nice weekend.

ps. I have one of those cabinets too. Mine needs to be organized again. It’s just that every time I organize it, I think this is the last time I’ll have to do this! Oh well.

thank you for posting a picture of your cluttery cabinets (which, BTW, mine make yours look super organized) i realize I am not the only one who stuffs things full because of lack of space. I thought of your new beekeeping venture yesterday, when my kids and I started a bee unit. Can’t wait to read mor about it!

goodness, what a week you’ve had! i’m glad that you’re okay after the seizure. if i had bees, i would be walking around the yard looking for them too. as it is, i keep walking out in the yard most mornings “to see if the bees are flying,” as i tell my husband, to see if i should pull the row covers from my blooming strawberry plants after nights that have threatened a freeze. your photo of the luna moth is stunning! i’m going to be sewing on saturday too–there’s too much to do this week!

Happy Easter! I see you have a picture of carolina allspice or what I call sweet betsy. Is your plant fragrant? As a kid we had a ‘bush’ that was overwhelming. I found one at a local nursery and planted it here, but it isn’t fragrant at all. : (

We call it sweetbud and my grandparents had a huge bush of it we loved to hide under — I can still smell the heavenly fragrance and hear the bees buzzing around us (now all I need is some ice cold cherry Kool-aid in an old-fashioned metal glass………aaaaaahhhhh

I have a long history of passing out if I perceive pain. I just sit down now and wait for that funny feeling to pass and then I’m good. I had my wisdom teeth out at 34 yo. It was NOT fun. I was such a basket case they did it in the hospital 😀 I hope you have a joyful Easter weekend 🙂

Hey Ginny – Oh my..that fainting thing..no matter what the cause, fainting is scary! I used to faint quite often when I was younger, now I know that I have to eat first thing in the morning and don’t kneel at an early morning Mass if I haven’t eaten, or I will pass out. Weird. I looooove the picture of the honeybees…love how we can see their pollen baskets. My boys and I are studying honeybees.

Oh sheesh! I’m glad you’re okay! The funny thing about this post is that I was just reading a book to Lake last night about bugs and we were paying extra attention to the moth that had the feather looking antenea…which was a Comet Moth, but it’s only found on the island of Madagascar. It looks pretty similar though. Do you know what kind the one you saw is? And Kayla realized she had a funny bone in her knee last night too when she hit it on something at an odd angle…wierd. Hope you have a wonderful Easter, whether you get those dresses done or not, but I’m supposing you will. *wink*

oh it’s so nice to read that someone sort of lives a life like mine 🙂
I bump things all the time in the car…just this morning the kids were talking about my recent bump with the power pole 🙂
Don’t freshly organised cupboards just leave you feeling so invigorated. Even looking at yours makes me feel good!
I plan to sew for my girls this weekend too.

Oh Ginny! What a week you’ve had! I’m glad you are Ok! I’ve done the rear ending too and it makes you feel so sick in the stomach doesn’t it. But my hubby has also had his little adventures with the car too so we are just grateful when no-one is hurt! It has made me come out of hiding and comment for the first time though! I have read your blog for such a long time and enjoy each and every post. I love Yarn Along and can’t wait for Wednesdays each week to see what everyone is reading and making! I just wish I had more time to do more craft work myself – I don’t know where the time goes. my dughter and I are thrilled that you have called the hives Lark Rise and Candleford! We both love watching the series and sometimes have a day where we watch episodes back to back! Blessings to you all this Easter Time!

Oh my what a week you have had. Teeth, fainting, car mishaps. I think a calm restful weekend is in order. At least the dresses are ones you have made in the past. I am hoping things go smoothly from here on out. And yes, those darn bunny nuggets are trouble.

What a week – I am so glad to hear you are ok, though. They say it comes in threes but geesh!
You truly are a superwoman to be able to sew two dresses in one day. It takes me about 2 weeks for my girls dresses. I get distracted so very easily, though. Please teach me the ways of staying focused on sewing! 🙂 No seriously – teach me!! Back to sewing for me. Much love to you and your family.

It wouldn’t do to have our lives be dull, would it? This whole post had me smiling in recognition…not of the specifics, but just at the whirlwind that is our life as mothers. I just read your comment above and laughed out loud at the term “bunny nuggets”…I just can’t imagine what they might be! 🙂
But must go to bed so will try to find out tomorrow.

oh my! unfortunatly I relate to the 5mph bumper cars bit. On my way back from a yarn purchase last week no less. I’m thinking you should be careful with that sit-kneel-stand action…and dont take out the cross or the priest at veneration tomorrow 🙂 Hope you and yours have a blessed triduum. I just made it in from mass with the wee ones…as fairly recent convert, always blows me away how adoration reduces me to a weeping mess! As mamas caring for our families and stumbling along the way, kneeling before Him puts it all in perspective doesn’t it?

I keep breaking things. Glass things. It’s a new habit of mine. I don’t hit things with the car, but then again I do not drive much.
I will be sewing this weekend too, but not Easter dresses, though that would be nice.
I hope you have a wonderful and at least somewhat leisurely weekend!

Is that sweet little dress the “sweet little dress” pattern? I’ve made approximately a million & six of those for Julia – such a quick pattern to sew & such adorable results. I love that cheery orange print!

Sorry you’ve had such a week…there’s only up to go from here, right? xo

Guess what…. I rear ended someone this week too! Hurrah. Mine did cause damage, but only to my car thankfully. I’m even more thankful that I have a mechanic friend who can fix it. Here’s hoping next week is better!

I would ♥ to know what pattern your using for your girls Easter dresses…is that little orange on Beatrix wearing a dress that you sewed? If so, do you have the pattern still? Adorable. I hope all is well with you, so you fainted because of dehydration? I’ll keep you in my prayers. I had a strange day, too…made bagels for the first time ever, they turned out pretty well, but I almost got run over while crossing the street. Scary moment! All is well. I hope you have a wonderful celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection!

I’m using the same pattern I seem to use for most of their dresses, including last year’s Easter dresses! https://www.gsheller.com/2011/04/a-bit-of-sewing-for-my-girls.html
There are lots of variations…I am skipping the aprons this time.
For the little dress that Beatrix is wearing, I think I used this same pattern as well, just elongating the bodice into an a line dress.
And while I didn’t faint because I was dehydrated (I actually removed the drink more water bit, because I guess that’s confusing.) I do have low blood pressure, and that can contribute to fainting. Drinking more water helps with the bp.

Thank you SO much! I hope to be sewing some dresses like that, I love the sleeves, seems like most patterns I’ve found are for sleeveless dresses, which are not what I want for my girls right now. All the pictures from Easter are beautiful (the dresses and the bunny nuggets)!!!

Geez, Ginny. I knew about the wisdom tooth, but you really do the sick and injured thing up right, don’t you?! I hope you have a calmer weekend. You are amazing. I would be hyperventilating if I hadn’t finished something for Easter yet with 2 days left to go. I wish I were more laid back like that.

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Hello! My name is Ginny. I believe that when you slow down and savor the small things, you don’t have to wish for a different life; you can discover beauty in the life you already have. {Find out more here…}

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